Nanomedicine, which is based on administration of nanomaterials to prevent, diagnose, and/or treat diseases, has attracted attention for a few decades. Recent progress in nanotechnology facilitated biomedical applications of nanomaterials such as, drug carriers.
Currently-available nanocarriers are capable of releasing therapeutic agents when subjected to external stimulation following targeted delivery to a treatment area of interest. However, many of these existing nanocarriers, in addition to requiring complexed formulation, are not applicable to a number of regions that are particularly sensitive to external stimuli such as, for example, heat. Furthermore, regions such as the brain possess cellular tight junctions that could limit the transmigration of nanocarriers to the targeted treatment area. As a result, there remains a need for nanocarriers that can be delivered in a targeted manner while accommodating various drug release mechanisms.